1'777 THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 89 



and I instantly saw the reason. Omai had, as I have 

 already mentioned, vainly flattered himself, that I 

 meant to use force in restoring him to his father's 

 lands in Ulietea, and he had talked idly, and without 

 any authority from me, on this subject, to some of 

 the present assembly ; who dreamed of nothing less 

 than a hostile invasion of Ulietea, and of being as- 

 sisted by me to drive the Bolabola men out of that 

 island. It was of consequence, therefore, that I 

 should undeceive them ; and in order to this, I signi- 

 fied, in the most peremptory manner, that I neither 

 would assist them in such an enterprize, nor suffer it 

 to be put in execution, while I was in their seas ; and 

 that, if Omai fixed himself in Ulietea, he must be 

 introduced as a friend, and not forced upon the Bola- 

 bola men as their conqueror. 



This declaration crave a new turn to the sentiments 

 of the council. One of the chiefs immediately ex- 

 pressed himself to this effect : " That the whole island 

 of Huaheine, and every thing in it, were mine ; and 

 that, therefore, I might give what portion of it I 

 pleased to my friend." Omai, who like the rest of 

 his countrymen, seldom sees things beyond the pre- 

 sent moment, was greatly pleased to hear this; think- 

 ing, no doubt, that I should be very liberal, and give 

 him enough. But to offer what it would have been 

 improper to accept, I considered as offering nothing 

 at all ; and, therefore, I now desired, that they would 

 not only assign the particular spot, but also the exact 

 quantity of land which they would allot for the set- 

 tlement. Upon this, some chiefs, who had already 

 left the assembly, were sent for ; and after a short 

 consultation among themselves, my request was grant- 

 ed by general consent ; and the ground immediately 

 pitched upon, adjoining to the house where our meet- 

 ing was held. The extent, along the shore of the 

 harbour, was about two hundred yards ; and its 

 depth, to the foot of the hill, somewhat more ; but 



